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Movie Review: You're Next

Imagine the movie Home Alone, but instead of the Wet Bandits trying to break into your house, it's a group of animal-mask-wearing killers. Swap out Kevin McCallister for the most unlikable, privileged family on-screen this year and you have You're Next; a brutal new film that doesn't shy away from the gore or intensity as a trio of psychos attempt to take out vacationing family one by one.

You're Next sat on the shelf for two years and the reasons are apparent. The shaky cam we have seen in smaller films like The Blair Witch Project and Quarantine is in full effect in You're Next. I could see this jittery camera work turning off some movie patrons. Working in television, I have become immune to the wobbly footage, but even I wished director Adam Wingard would have invested in a steadicam for some of the action scenes. Also, the acting is horrible, which is what you would expect in a low-budget horror movie. If you have a huge ensemble and you're paying your talent peanuts, you can't expect the cream of the crop when it comes to the cast's acting prowess. I actually giggled in You're Next when a few of the family members delivered their lines.

Luckily, the suspense and gore makes up for the lack of acting and camera work in You're Next. The masked villains come at the family not with guns, but with simple weapons including a crossbow, machete and a fireman's axe. I don't know about you, but an axe slamming into the side of someone's head is much more frightening than a gunshot. There are multiple scenes in You're Next that had the audience silence in suspense, which is a rarity considering how obnoxious the crowds can be in horror movies theses days. You're Next was the first film since Evil Dead that made me curl my toes in the theater as I watched the killers carry out their bloody mission.

The intensity, suspense and creepy maniacs make up for the amateur camera work and soap opera acting in You're Next. I found You're Next to be more scary and braver with the shock and gore than previous summer hits like The Purge and The Conjuring. I wish the acting could have been more up to par, but I can live with it considering how scaryYou're Next is at times. If you are a true horror fan, I'm sure you will get a kick out of You're Next. Overall, I give You're Next 3 out of 4 potatoes.

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